Optical card information recording/reproducing apparatus

Abstract: An optical card information recording/reproducing apparatus is provided for recording and/or reproducing information in or from an optical card. The apparatus comprises a mounting base on which the optical card is to be mounted and which moves in a predetermined direction, an optical head for irradiating an optical beam onto the optical card to record and/or reproduce information therein or therefrom, and a locking device for locking the mounting base in an unmovable state during transportation of the apparatus. The locking device may be arranged to lock the optical head in an unmovable state as well.

Description: BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an optical card information recording/reproducing apparatus for recording and/or reproducing information by irradiating an optical beam onto a recording/reproducing surface in an optical or magneto-optical recording medium of card (hereinafter referred to as an optical card). More particularly, the invention relates to an optical card information recording/reproducing apparatus provided with a lock mechanism for a mounting base on which the optical card is mounted and for an optical head for irradiating an optical beam onto the optical card to record and/or reproduce information. Related Background Art An optical card information recording/reproducing apparatus records or reproduces information in or from an optical card, using an optical beam such as a laser beam. The apparatus performs the recording/reproducing of information to the optical card while driving a mounting base (hereinafter referred to as a shuttle) for carrying the optical card and an optical head for irradiating the optical beam onto the optical card in mutually perpendicular directions. Such apparatus had, however, a problem that vibration on the apparatus during transportation thereof caused the optical head and the mounting base to collide with members at the moving end so as to be damaged. JP-A-04-238122 discloses an optical card information recording/reproducing apparatus including a locking mechanism for fixing the shuttle which moves the optical head over the medium in a loading position. A separate locking mechanism is provided to lock the optical head in position. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been accomplished taking the problem into account. It is an object of the present invention to provide an optical card information recording/reproducing apparatus which has a simple arrangement to enable prevention of a damage to the optical head and/or the shuttle. According to the present invention, there is provided an apparatus for performing at least one of the functions of recording and reproducing information to or from a recording medium, comprising an optical head for irradiating the recording medium with a light beam for performing at least one of the functions of recording and reproducing information on or from the medium, the optical head being movable along a surface of the recording medium within a predetermined movable range; a mounting base for holding the recording medium, the mounting base being movable in a direction perpendicular to the direction of movement of the optical head; and locking means for locking the optical head to prevent said movement of the optical head, the apparatus being characterized in that the locking means is arranged such that when said mounting base is positioned in a position for insertion or ejection of the recording medium, the optical head is locked by the mounting base. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Fig. 1 is a plan view to show the first embodiment of the present invention; Fig. 2 is a front view of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a right side view of Fig. 2; Fig. 4 is a plan view to show a modification of the first embodiment; Fig. 5 is a front view of Fig. 4; Fig. 6 is a right side view of Fig. 4; Fig. 7 is a plan view to show another modification of the first embodiment; Fig. 8 is a front view of Fig. 7; Fig. 9 is a plan view to show the second embodiment of the present invention; Fig. 10 is a front view of Fig. 9; Fig. 11 is a front view to show an operating state of the second embodiment; Fig. 12 is a plan view to show a modification of the second embodiment; and Fig. 13 is a front view of Fig. 12. DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The optical card information recording/reproducing apparatus of the present invention will be described in the concrete and in detail, based on embodiments in the accompanying drawings showing the major part thereof. First Embodiment Fig. 1 to Fig. 3 show the first embodiment of the present invention. Numeral 301 denotes an optical head for irradiating an optical beam onto an optical card 307, 301a a first lock member formed on the optical head 301, 303a, 303b head guide shafts for guiding the optical head 301, and 305 a head stopper. The optical head 301 is arranged as movable in the A and B directions along the head guide shafts 303a, 303b. A lock position of the optical head is where the optical head 301 comes into contact with the head stopper 305. Also, numeral 302 designates a shuttle on which the optical card 307 is to be mounted, 302a a first lock member formed on the shuttle 302, 304a, 304b shuttle guide shafts for guiding the shuttle 302, and 306 a shuttle stopper. The shuttle 302 is arranged as movable in the C and D directions along the shuttle guide shafts 304a, 304b. A card insertion and discharge position of the shuttle 302 is where the shuttle 302 comes into contact with the shuttle stopper 306. The drive for the optical head 301 and the shuttle 302 is a linear motor (not shown) in the present embodiment, for example. However, the type of motor is not limited in the present invention. Next described is the locking operation of the optical head 301 in the above arrangement. For locking the head, the optical head 301 first moves in the A direction and stops when it comes into contact with the head stopper 305. This position is the lock position of the head. Then, the shuttle 302 moves in the C direction and stops when it comes into contact with the shuttle stopper 306. This position is the card insertion and discharge position of the shuttle. The shuttle is mechanically locked (not shown) at this position. At this moment, the first lock member 301a is associated with the second lock member 302a, whereby the optical head 301 is stopped from moving in the B direction as kept in a lock state. Next described is the unlocking operation of the head. First, when the optical card 301 is inserted through the slot (not shown), the optical card 307 is conveyed by loading rollers (not shown) to be mounted on the shuttle 302 in the apparatus body. Then, the shuttle 302 is released by solenoid drive from the mechanical lock (not shown) and then moves from the card insertion and discharge position in the D direction. Thus, the second lock member 302a leaves the first lock member 301a. As a result, the optical head 301 is freed so as to move from the lock position in the B direction as released from the lock state. Fig. 4 to Fig. 6 show a modification of the first embodiment, which show a state in which the optical head 301 is locked. The fourth embodiment was so arranged that the head lock position was where the optical head 301 came into contact with the head stopper 305, while the present modification is so arranged that the head lock position is detected by a sensor plate 308 set on the optical head 301 and a head lock sensor 309 to stop the optical head 301. Further, Fig. 7 and Fig. 8 show another modification, which show a state in which the optical head 301 is locked. The fourth embodiment was so arranged that the shuttle 302 moved in the longitudinal direction of the optical card 307 and the optical head 301 in the transverse direction of the optical card 307, while the present modification is so arranged that the shuttle 302 moves in the transverse direction of the optical card 307 and the optical head 301 in the longitudinal direction of the optical card 307. Since constituents and operations thereof are the same as those in the first embodiment, they are denoted by the same reference numerals and omitted to explain herein. Second Embodiment Fig. 9 to Fig. 11 show the second embodiment of the present invention. Fig. 9 and Fig. 10 show a state in which the optical head is locked, and Fig. 11 a state in which the optical head is unlocked. In the drawings, reference numeral 401 designates an optical head for irradiating an optical beam onto an optical card 413, 401a a lock member formed on the optical head 401, 403a, 403b head guide shafts for guiding the optical head 401, and 405 a head stopper. The optical head 401 is arranged as movable in the A and B directions along the head guide shafts 403a, 403b. The head lock position of the optical head 401 is where the optical head 401 comes into contact with the head stopper 405. Also, numeral 402 denotes a shuttle on which the optical card 413 is to be mounted, 402a a projecting member formed on the shuttle 402, 404a, 404b shuttle guide shafts for guiding the shuttle 402, and 406 a shuttle stopper. The shuttle 402 is arranged as movable in the C and D directions along the shuttle guide shafts 404a, 404b. The card insertion and discharge position of the shuttle is where the shuttle comes into contact with the shuttle stopper 406. Further, numeral 407 denotes a lock lever, 408 a lock lever shaft, 409 a spring hook pin, and 410 a tension coil spring. The tension coil spring 410 is hooked on the lock lever 407 at one end and on the spring hook pin 409 at the other end. Also, numeral 411 is a stopper pin, and 412 a base plate. Fixed on the base plate 412 are the lock lever shaft 408, the spring hook pin 407 and the stopper pin 411 as described above. The lock lever 407 is arranged as rotatable about the lock lever shaft 408. The lock lever 407 is subject to a pulling force in the E direction by the tension coil spring 410 so as to be urged in the E direction. The lock lever 407 is stopped from rotating at a position where it is in contact with the stopper pin 411. The locking operation of the optical head 401 is described in the above arrangement. For locking the head, the optical head 401 first moves in the A direction and stops when it comes into contact with the head stopper 405. This position is the head lock position. At this moment, the lock lever 407 is still urged in the E direction under the pulling force by the tension coil spring 410 while stopping at the position where it is in contact with the stopper pin 411. Fig. 29 shows the state at this moment. Then, the shuttle 402 moves in the C direction and stops when it comes into contact with the shuttle stopper 406. This position is the card insertion and discharge position of the shuttle. The shuttle 402 is mechanically locked (not shown) at this position. On this occasion, the projecting member 402a also moves in the C direction in synchronism with the motion of the shuttle 402. Then, the projecting member 402a comes into contact with an end of the lock lever 407 to rotate the lock lever 407 counterclockwise about the lock lever shaft 408. On this occasion, the other end of the lock lever 407 comes to engage with the lock member 401a to stop the optical head 401 from moving in the B direction, whereby the optical head 401 is kept in a lock state. The drive for the optical head 401 and the shuttle 402 is a linear motor (not shown), for example, but the type of motor is not limited to it. In the unlocking operation, the shuttle 402 moves in the D direction from the position where it is in contact with the shuttle stopper 406, so that the projecting member 402a leaves the lock lever 407, whereby the lock lever 407 rotates clockwise about the lock lever shaft 408 by the pulling force of the tension coil spring 410, and stops when it comes into contact with the stopper pin 411. At that moment, the other end of the lock lever 407 also leaves the lock member 401a, which enables the optical head 401 to move from the head lock position as releasing the optical head from the lock state. Fig. 29 shows the state at this moment. Fig. 12 and Fig. 13 show a modification of the second embodiment, which show a state in which the optical head 401 is locked. The second embodiment was so arranged that the shuttle 402 moved in the longitudinal direction of the optical card 413 and the optical head 401 in the transverse direction of the optical card 413, while the present modification is so arranged that the shuttle 402 moves in the transverse direction of the optical card 413 and the optical head 401 in the longitudinal direction of the optical card 413. The same constituents as those in the second embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals and omitted to explain about the arrangement and operations thereof. In the present invention, as described above, locking means is provided between the position of contact thereof with the optical card in the conveying path of the card and the shuttle/the optical head so that the shuttle and the optical head are locked or unlocked by an action of card press force upon discharge or insertion of the optical card, which requires no dedicated drive source for locking and which permits automatic locking or unlocking in synchronism with the discharge or insertion of the optical card. Also, in the present invention, a common drive source can drive a drive unit for carrying the optical card onto the mounting base in the apparatus body or for carrying the optical card out of the apparatus body, and a drive unit for locking the shuttle and the optical head, which permits automatic locking or unlocking of the shuttle and the optical head in synchronism with the discharge or insertion of the optical card. Also, since the locking is possible without providing an extra drive source for the locking operation, the apparatus can be constructed in a compact size and at low cost. Also in the present invention, the optical head may be locked in the arrangement that the shuttle and the optical head have the respective lock members which can engage with each other only at a predetermined position after the optical head and the shuttle are driven in the mutually perpendicular directions, which permits automatic locking without requiring special mechanism or components for locking, with no dedicated drive source, without increasing the cost, but only by the simple operation. Also in the present invention, the optical head may be locked in the arrangement that a projecting member is provided on the shaft, the urging force of the shuttle is made acting on the lock lever, and the lock lever is arranged as engaging with the lock member of optical head, which permits automatic locking without requiring a complicated mechanism for locking, with no dedicated drive source for locking, and without increasing the cost. Also in the present invention, the locking is effected by the urging force of the optical head and the unlocking by the urging force of the shuttle, which permits automatic locking without requiring a complicated mechanism for locking, with no dedicated drive source for locking, and without increasing the cost.

Claims: An apparatus for performing at least one of the functions of recording and reproducing information to or from a recording medium (307; 413), comprising: an optical head (301; 401) for irradiating the recording medium with a light beam for performing at least one of the functions of recording and reproducing information on or from the medium (307; 413), the optical head (301; 401) being movable along a surface of the recording medium (307; 413) within a predetermined movable range; a mounting base (302; 402) for holding the recording medium (307; 413), the mounting base (302; 402) being movable in a direction perpendicular to the direction of movement of the optical head (301; 401); and locking means (301a, 302a; 407) for locking the optical head (301; 401) to prevent said movement of the optical head (301; 401), the apparatus being characterized in that the locking means (301a, 302a; 407) is arranged such that when said mounting base (302; 402) is positioned in a position for insertion or ejection of the recording medium (307; 413), the optical head (301; 401) is locked by the mounting base (302; 402). An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said locking means (301a, 302a) includes: a first projecting portion (302a) provided on the mounting base (302); and a second projecting portion (301a) provided on the optical head (301), wherein when the mounting base (302) and said optical head are each positioned at positions enabling insertion or ejection of the recording medium (307), the first projecting portion (302a) is arranged so as to contact the second projecting portion (301a) thereby preventing the second projecting portion (301a) from moving relative to the mounting base (302) thus preventing said movement of the optical head (301). An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said locking means includes: a locking lever (407) pivotable between a first position where said optical head (401) is locked and a second position where the optical head (401) is not locked; and a spring member (410) for biasing said locking lever (407) toward the second position, wherein the locking lever (407) is arranged such that movement of the mounting base (402) causes said locking lever (407) to pivot against the biasing force of the spring member (410) to move the locking lever into the first position. An apparatus according to claim 3, wherein in said second position a portion of said locking lever (407) engages a projecting portion (401a) of the optical head (401) thereby preventing said movement of the optical head (401).

Inventors: SAITO MAKOTO, SAITO, MAKOTO, SAITO, MAKOTO, C/O CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
Applicants: CANON KK, CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
Application year: 1994
Main classification: G06K13
IPC codes: G11B19, G11B17, G11B33, G11B7, G06K13, G11B25, G11B21